Vaccines and Immunization

Vaccines & Autism

Vaccinations may be one of the triggers for autism. Substantial data demonstrate immune abnormality in many autistic children consistent with impaired resistance to infection, activation of inflammatory response, and autoimmunity. Impaired resistance may predispose to vaccine injury in autism. A mercurial preservative in childhood vaccines, thimerosal, may cause direct neurotoxic, immune-depressive, and autoimmune injury and contribute to early-onset and regressed autism. Live viruses in measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) may result in chronic infection of the gut and trigger regressed autism. Thimerosal injection may potentiate MMR injury.